Caption: Vildagliptin diabetes drug molecule, computer model. Vildagliptin, which is marketed as Galvus by Novartis, belongs to the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor class of drugs. It works to reduces hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) in type II diabetes, by inhibiting the inactivation of the hormones GLP-1 and GIP. This results in the secretion of insulin (the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels) in the beta cells and the suppression of glucagon release (which leads to raised blood glucose levels) by the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Atoms, represented as tubes, are colour-coded: carbon (yellow), hydrogen (white), nitrogen (green) and oxygen (pink).